The Unification of Kinds
by LeahEvans
Summary: Harry Potter returns for his 6th year at Hogwarts to discover american transfers, Viktor Krum, love triangles, you know who, Wood as a professor, and lots of throwing of breakable objects.
1. Chapter 1

Note: This chapter just reintroduces the chars so it might drag a bit til the end. But the next chapter prepare to be introduced to some new additions AND old friends. Some of these chars are borrowed from friends (aka Cedric Didgery) but others are property of me, and I would love to let you use them, but only upon permission. Feel free to review me, this is my first posted fanfic so don't be too harsh))  
  
Leaky Cauldron was its usual self it seemed, tiny and grubby looking on the outside, and dark and shabby on the inside. The warmth from the brick fireplace towards the other side of the room greeted Harry as he stepped in from the cool London morning. His black hair, had been blown over his green eyes was the only thing that hinted he had been outside, for the rest of him looked as though it had been in a corner long forgotten. His khaki tan pants were actually new, which was a nice contrast since he was usually always stuck in Dudley's old clothing. But things had changed a bit, even Harry could tell, and he figured it was because even the Dursleys (no matter how strange it seemed) felt sorry for him and his departed god father. But Harry didn't doubt they had received quite a few threats from a certain group of wizards and a witch, who had appointed themselves Harry's newest guardians.  
  
Harry tugged at his green sweater sleeve, which in the confines of the Cauldron was extremely warm and was causing him to perspire a bit. His glasses fogging up a bit with his hot breath, he removed them from his nose and rubbed them with the edge of his sweater, cleaning them. He had remembered the Leaky Cauldron being a bit more "abuzz" the last time he had come, and despite the fact he was still recovering from mourning, he still wished for it. But then again, he was just glad to be back, no matter how strange it would have sounded. He had spent the entire summer mourning in his small room, really Dudley's old one, lying in bed looking to the ceiling, often blinded by his own memories and the fact that his glasses were not on his head. He hadn't received any calls, any post, nothing from his friends, he had lost all hope... until a week ago, when the Dursleys had received a letter from a certain, multi-colored hair, friend.  
  
And after that week he was here, dropped off in London by a Mr. Dursley who seemed quick to rid himself of the skinny boy, nearly shoving him from the car and leaving him to wander London alone. Luckily he remembered, from his first year, where the Leaky Cauldron was, and was quite relieved the "anti-muggle spell" had not worn off, for it was easy to spot, and he could walk into it without any suspicion.  
  
Returning his glasses with their black rims to his face, he quietly glanced around the inn, which had gone silent upon his entrance. There were the usual old women seated in the dusty corner, drinking glasses of a red liquid. Every so often their cold, yet wise, glances would move to Harry, but then resume to staring at one another, as if silently trading words. Harry could only guess what it could be about, though he assumed it was once again about how Voldemort had returned, and Sirius dead, or something along those lines. Harry was relieved to spot a bald man, who resembled a toothless walnut, appear from behind the bar, two glasses in hand.  
  
"Well, the infamous Harry Potter returns... bless my stars!" The bartended greeted, giving Harry a mostly toothless grin.  
  
Harry, glad someone was actually speaking to him and not treating him like an animal in the zoo, slowly walked over to the bartender, rolling up his sleeves. "Glad to see you again too sir..." He greeted, giving the bartender a nod.  
  
"Tom," the bartender corrected, reaching under the bar and sliding a glass of apple cider over to Harry.  
  
"Tom," Harry corrected himself, reaching into his pocket to pay the man, who immediately rose his hand refusing.  
  
"It's on the house Mister Potter," He kindly smiled, though he did not have much to smile with, watching Harry as he lifted the glass of cider to his lips with a slightly tilted head. "It's been what? Four years?"  
  
"Five now," Harry responded, licking his lips free of the cider that remained behind.  
  
"Yes, I remember clearly now," Tom nodded, reaching behind the bar and returning with a cloth and began wiping it across the bar to busy himself. "You've grown up a bit Mister Potter, a fine lad you are... so I've read."  
  
"Don't believe everything you read," Harry spoke lowly, his green eyes moving to the bar as he quietly set the glass on the countertop, with a soft clink.  
  
His eyes remained on the glass, as did his hand, he gently swirled the left over cider around, watching the ripples form. Tom had returned to his work and serving people, who had now begun to speak again, as the ice had been broken. It wasn't until Harry heard a familiar voice a bit further more down the bar that he even looked up.  
  
"Honestly Gin, I don't know why you go around with that Dean Thomas! He isn't even your year..." muttered a familiar voice belonging to a familiar red haired boy.  
  
"Oh get off it Ron!" retaliated a female voice belonging to the red haired boy's sister. "He was one of your good friends, now all of a sudden you don't like him? Ronald Weasley, you are the weirdest brother I have ever had!"  
  
Harry smiled and leaving his glass on the table, took a few steps down the bar to see his best friend and sister, sharing a bowl of what looked like popcorn, as they sat at the bar on stools. Ginny sat straight up, her red hair falling to her shoulders as she was in a purple robe, while her brother sat rigid in his magenta one, shoveling piece by piece of popcorn angrily into his mouth. Hearing Ginny's last comment, Ron sat upright and sputtered, bits of popcorn coming from his mouth.  
  
"I am not! You got lots of others to choose from. I happen to come from a long line of weirdo's..." Ron noted nodding, using his robe sleeve to wipe his chin.  
  
"Ron!" Ginny cried with disapproval. "You are impossible," she huffed, as Ron returned to shoving popcorn into his mouth, she turned on her stool crossing her arms stubbornly across her chest. Her eyes however lit up once they spotted Harry standing there. "Harry!" she cried happily, a smile on her freckled face as she hopped off the stool and raced over, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug.  
  
Harry couldn't remember the last time Ginny Weasley hugged him. In fact he doubted there ever was a time, since she was usually either frightened of him, or wanted nothing to do with him, whatever the time required. But right now, for one reason or other, she was, and Harry turned a bit red in the cheeks. Pulling away Harry's green eyes slowly looked to Ginny, who had grown quite a bit, in some areas more than others. Her freckles were still on her cheeks and her usual flaming hair seemed dimmed a bit, a darker shade. It was cut shoulder length and neatly brushed as it fell to her shoulders, better taken care of than her brothers'.  
  
"Harry," she panted after her rush of excitement, her palms resting on the sides of Harry's arms. "It's so good to see you." She said in a softer tone, Harry's eyes lowered to see there was a knee brace around one of Ginny's purple and white striped stockings, probably from the previous school year 'happenings'.  
  
Harry brought his glance back up and reaching out shakily, he fingered the end of one of Ginny's strand of hair. "You uh..." He frowned, wondering how he even ended up in this position in the first place.  
  
Ginny noticeably blushed and pulled away from Harry's touch, now fingering her strand of hair herself. "Dyed it, the muggle way... I figured it was about time for a change."  
  
"Nah! She just did that in order to hide her inner Weasley! Everyone knows it Gin so stop making excuses!" accused Ron's voice in between bites of popcorn.  
  
Harry nodded quietly, smiling a bit at his friends 'outwardness' in response, turning to him who had risen from his stool, the bowl of popcorn in his left arm, grinning sheepishly. "Hiya 'arry," Ron greeted with what Harry could tell was false smile, obviously trying to start over and forget last years events. But how could Harry just forget!  
  
"I didn't get any post," was all Harry said, skipping the usual greeting, amazingly already in an angry mood. "From anyone," he finished accusingly; he would have at least liked a single letter over the summer.  
  
Ginny frowned, bringing her freckled hand through her new darker hair. "Well, we wanted to, but then we figured you were going to be having a rough summer, and the last thing you needed was us making it worse..."  
  
"You figured?" Harry spoke flatly, his green eyes now narrowing at Ginny.  
  
"Well more the ministry ordered us not to," Ron spoke up quickly, trying to stop Harry from scaring his sister to death. "But we did want to Harry," he added, coming beside his friend, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Honest."  
  
Harry sighed and nodded, that had to be the truth, it had to be. His own friend wasn't going to do that to him, Ron couldn't be taken down without a fight, and obviously something was said to him, for he didn't make an attempt.  
  
"Mum was worried sick though," Ron added in a hopeful attempt to make his friend feel better. "The only time she felt any better was at the Quidditch Cup, but once it was over she was a mess again..."  
  
Harry frowned, turning his head suddenly to Ron. Ginny, sensing this tension smacked her palm to her forehead, knowing the attempt had been ruined. Mumbling into her palm, she knew it could only get worse from here on out.  
  
"You went to the Cup?" Harry questioned somewhat flatly, his eyes searching Ron's freckled face for answers.  
  
"Yeah, dad got tickets again," Ron added cheerily, not catching on, causing Ginny to mutter a bit louder into her palm. "It was bloody brilliant Harry. US versus Bulgaria. US team bloody brilliant Harry. The best match of the century it was! Best! Hermione even enjoyed it!"  
  
Harry's eyes narrowed on Ron, freezing. "Hermione...?" he questioned slowly with a lowered brow.  
  
"Yeah," Ron spoke nervously, realizing his error, slowly pulling his hand away from Harry's shoulder. "Well, dad had an extra ticket see? And I wanted to invite you but, but you were in mourning so I invited Hermione instead?" Ron's face looked as though he was going to be sick.  
  
Harry could feel his fists clench. His own best friend! His own best friend had basically disowned him! Had left him out to dry and forgotten him. Harry's cheeks turned a bit red as his body tensed all over. He could feel the rage and anger that had been building up over the summer swell within him, just waiting to come out.  
  
"You invited Hermione?!" Harry hissed through his teeth, he could feel his blood boil.  
  
"Yes," Ron spoke uneasily, his hand beginning to clasp together out of nervousness. "Well we assumed you would..."  
  
Harry couldn't take it anymore; he blew, right in front of everyone. "Well you assume too much Ronald Weasley! It looks to me as though you are still recovering from that blow you received at the ministry! So will you do me a favor and not assume anything anymore?!" he growled.  
  
Everyone was staring as Harry's shoulders heaved up and down with emotion that had been building up within him through summer months, since that day at the Ministry. He didn't even look to the old women and Tom who had begun to stare. His angry glance was focused on Ron's reddening red ears. Ron looked shocked at his friend's accusation, and gaped at him for a moment. But soon a glare appeared in his own eyes, and he looked ready to fight back with a rude comment if it hadn't been for Hermione breaking between the two boys at that moment as Ginny watched with wide eyes. The bounce of Hermione's bushy brown hair caused Harry to flinch, and retract away a bit. Taking some time in his mind to register who had so boldly stepped in the way.  
  
"Harry," Hermione spoke short of breath, as if she had spotted them from the window and dashed inside at full speed. "Ron, look..." she exhaled, trying not to fall over. "It's Harry..."  
  
"I see that..." Ron responded softly, breaking his glance away from Harry. "I just came to say hi," Ron shrugged, calming down a bit.  
  
Harry broke his glare away from Ron as well, letting out a deep sigh in humiliation at what he had just done to his friend. "I'm sorry Ron," Harry muttered. "I didn't mean anything by it," Harry looked up apologetically.  
  
Ron seemed to take a serious moment or two considering this when a cheesy forgiving grin spread across his own face and he stuck his hand out, taking Harry's, shaking it. "No harm done Harry, I would have done the same."  
  
Hermione exchanged relieved glances with Ginny, who slowly walked toward her side, smiling at the two boys. "Well then Ron, why don't you show Harry what you saved for him at the game?" Hermione hinted a bit flatly.  
  
Ron hearing this widened his eyes and nodded in agreement, giving off another cheesy smile. "Oh! Right!" And he hurried back to the bar, tossing the empty popcorn bowl onto the counter and dug under the stool, fishing out a pair of his old Omnioculars (Harry noticed Hermione roll her eyes) and handed them off to Harry.  
  
Harry slowly lowered his head as his green eyes searched over the familiar object that he had bought for Ron when he had last went to the Quidditch Cup. He could remember it like it was yesterday, and was still very upset he hadn't been taken but he knew, even with Quidditch he probably would have been miserable. Ron had been right and Harry knew it, no matter how much he resented it. Harry's dirty thumb ran over the replay button as he sighed in memory, it wasn't until he heard Ron's voice in the distance call out: "Give it a try Harry..." That he raised them to his eyes, and pressed down on the button.  
  
Blurs of scarlet flashed by the lens, obviously the Bulgarian team, but they were not chased by blurs of green, of the Irish, but of red, white and blue. A round brown object which Harry easily distinguished as the Quaffle sailed in the air, and one of the red, white, and blue figures stopped. It was a boy with black hair, spiked in the front, his forehead somewhat smudged with dirt, a serious expression to his face. Harry, freezing the frame, lowered his eyes to see a yellow patch with the letter "C" on it.  
  
"Justin Silvestri..." Ron narrated as if knowing exactly what frame of the picture Harry was on just by the expression on his face. "Youngest chaser in the league present, at 17, and he isn't even the youngest on the team!" Ron later added with a voice that sounded of pure glee and somewhat dreamy. "And he isn't even the youngest on the team..." Harry saw Hermione roll her eyes again.  
  
"All of them but the seeker were younger than Silvestri Ronald..." Ginny critiqued, shaking her head as if she had heard this all summer. Looking back to Harry with a somewhat dull sigh. "He's been on about their keeper all summer..."  
  
Harry chuckled when Ron retaliated, turning to his sister and Hermione, throwing his arms in the air. "And why shouldn't I be?! At 15, she's our age basically, and a thumping good keeper. Bloody brilliant! Did you see those saves?!"  
  
"Little Ronnykins still on about his second Quidditch match?" One of the twins' voices intruded as Fred entered the scene, accompanied by George. Both were in pinstripe robes, neon ties flashing a bit, causing Harry to pull away from the Omnioculars for a bit.  
  
"Like these Harry?" George asked, posing side by side with Fred, both smiling devilishly. "We enchanted them."  
  
"Best business men in Diagon Alley need to look sharp," Fred chorused with a wink, his arms folding across his chest.  
  
"Interesting," was all Harry could say, though he was struggling with his face to hold back a laugh.  
  
"Mum didn't favor them too much," Ginny rolled her eyes, though a small smile was on her lips.  
  
"Well Mum isn't the one running a big business," Fred snorted, upturning his nose jokingly.  
  
"You get the keeper you guys?" Ron interrupted suddenly, obviously not caring for Fred and George's business talk. Turning to Harry's confused face he softened his tone. "About halfway through I gave them the Omnioculars, they had a better view." His tone hardened once again as he faced the twins, "Well did you?" he demanded.  
  
George broke away from Fred and slowly strolled over to Ron, wrapping his arm around his younger brother's shoulder, pulling him close a bit too hard. "Now, now, my impatient little brother, can't you trust your own brothers? We are blood... would we ever let you down?" Ron shot a bit of a glare to George and after thinking a moment George nodded in agreement. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that time."  
  
Hermione, growing impatient snorted and took the Omnioculars from Harry's hands and brought them to her eyes, pressing play, and fell silent as the group of boys and Ginny continued speaking. Harry smiled a bit, watching the brothers argue, Hermione taking control once more, it seemed once again things were returning to normal.  
  
"It was that good then?" Harry questioned, a weak smile plastered on his face, still trying to hide his subtle jealousy.  
  
"Bloody brilliant!" Ron echoed once more, freeing himself once more from one of the twin's grasps. "US won! Their seeker, this Spanish fellow, Ruben, beat Krum to the snitch!"  
  
"I noticed Hermione didn't seem that upset," George smiled a bit cunningly, his eyes wandering over to Hermione.  
  
"Yeah, she was too busy watching Ruben, than her own boyfriend!" Fred added.  
  
"Um... boys?.." Hermione interrupted softly, her eyes glued on the Omnioculars, causing everyone to face her.  
  
Fred and George began to fuss with their neon glowing ties, often fixing each others'. Once in a while they would reach over and ruffle Ron's hair as Ron swatted at their arms. Ginny stayed between Harry and Hermione, trying her best to pay attention to Hermione with all of the "distractions" going on.  
  
"What Hermione?" Ron grunted between a particularly rough noogie.  
  
"This is a freeze frame of the Keeper of the US team's butt," Hermione spoke flatly, lowering the Omnioculars and eying Fred and George peculiarly.  
  
Ron shot a glare at his two brothers, who both feigned innocence, until Fred fessed up with a careless shrug. "It was almost as good as the game..." 


	2. Chapter 2

**Note: Now, I might be experiencing comp lossage depending how today or tomorrow goes, so I decided to go double time on the chapters of my fanfics, which are really spread out as it is. So yeah, typed this at word pad and snuck on to quickly post it, hope you guys aren't let down.**

As the twins got into yet another argument about which one of their creations was better, the exploding wand or the apple that turned into a frog, Harry and his two friends managed to separate themselves from the group. Harry was the first to take a slow step backwards, soon followed by Hermione who caught this action out of the corner of her eye and began to slowly inch behind him. Ginny soon spotted this and took a step away from the quarrelling twins, but a sharp hand movement from Hermione in the action of stopping traffic caused her to halt with a rejected frown. Tugging on Ron's sleeve, Hermione then gained the third friend's attention and he soon began to follow.

Moving as one on their tiptoes the three friends were reaching the doorway of the Leaky Cauldron, the twins quarreling becoming more and more distant. Closer... Closer... Closer still... And then the door was swung open by a few scraggly looking men with patches in their faded wizard hats, tattered robes, and a mug of ale and butterbeer in each hand, collapsing onto one another as they attempted to use each other for balance. The fall breeze hit the three friends head on and with widened eyes looked back to Fred and George whom had stopped fighting and were staring at them with angered looks on their faces, silence pursued for a few moments as the tattered wizards made their way to the opposite end of the room drunk.

"Eh 'Arry!" Fred called, narrowing his eyes.

"Where are you goin'?" George finished the sentence, which really didn't have much intimidation, especially with his tie flickering on and off.

Harry looked from Ron to Hermione with nervous eyes, and then back to the twins trying to cover. "Uh... Fred we were just going to..."

"Which do you think is better?" George cut him off, his cheeks reddened from the 'argument'.

"Excuse me?" Harry asked confused, his fingers pulling his glasses down some; unsure of what exactly they wanted.

"Which is better? The exploding wand?" Fred asked, hands crossing across his chest.

"Or the apple that turns into a frog?" George finished yet another sentence, mirroring the same action his brother had done.

The two twins stood side by side, arms crossed across their chest staring. Both began tapping their feet at the same time, their eyes intently narrowed on the three in the doorway in anticipation. Harry exchanged glances with Ron and Hermione once more before speaking in a somewhat relieved, yet breathless and hurried tone.

"Oh... oh... The exploding wand... definitely," and with that he grabbed both his friend's arms and dragged them out the door of the Cauldron, all three of them panting as they stood outside from hurrying, but they could however still hear the commotion inside.

"HA TOLD YOU SO!"

"YOU DID NOT YOU TWIT! WHAT DOES POTTER KNOW?"

"OH I DON'T KNOW... HE ONLY DEFEATED YOU KNOW WHO AT THE AGE OF 2! WHICH IS MORE THAN I CAN SAY FOR YOU!"

"THIS COMES FROM THE KID WHO WAS TOO BUSY FALLING ON HIS FACE AS A CHILD!"

"WHY I OUTTA..!"

Harry had his head between his knees; Ron was hunched over trying to catch his breath, while Hermione was stretching her back. And all three reddened faces looked up at the same time. Hermione's concerned eyes making contact with Harry's behind his glasses, she knew a herd could probably follow.

"We better get going..." She warned as she panted, both boys nodded dizzily in agreement and they began on their way down the street.

The closest shop was the Cauldron shop, which brought Harry memories of his first time wandering the streets of Diagon Alley with Hagrid who once was the Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts, then part time Care of Magical Creatures professor, who's future was now unknown, after Umbridge's reign as High Inquisitor. What a disaster that was, a chain of events Harry prayed were over. He still couldn't wash away the feeling of hurt from Sirius' death, and the undying question of where he may be, and was he gone for good? Secretly he made a silent plead in his head that this year would be far better, and at least somewhat normal, if that was even possible.

As he walked in between his two friends, Ron on Harry's right looking dreamily ahead in an attempt to ignore a certain someone, Hermione on his left jabbering about some 'cause' as usual, his green eyes reading the wooden sign that hung above a stack of multicolored cauldrons, all making out a rainbow. _Just In!-Rainbow Style Pewter Cauldrons!_ A few small witches in purple and magenta robes quickly surrounded the display, blocking Harry's view and causing him to go back to listening to Hermione's jabbering.

"So this year, despite some events from the past five, I plan on working twice as hard, twice as much. I'll need plenty of research, that way I can start a protective group and imagine this, with members being students of Hogwarts. Once the Ministry sees that students care, they surely will put up a foundation for it!" Hermione rambled, though the seriousness and determination in her face proved she meant every word.

"A flobberworm?" Ron questioned somewhat hesitantly with a raised brow. "Hermione I doubt the Ministry cares about the only creature in our Care of Magical Creatures book with a M.O.M. classification of X.!" Ron added as Hermione turned her nose up in the air, pretending she couldn't even hear him.

Harry decided to help out his friend, because from what he could see, it was the truth. Hermione often became carried away with her mission to save the world and all of its living things, or nonliving for that matter. Harry would put a bet that Hermione would defend a rock if it gave her the satisfaction of doing so, or an O on her report card.

"Hermione," Harry started, trying to bring Hermione's eyes back on him and Ron, though she still kept up her ignoring them act. "Ron has a point," he added hesitantly. "The flobberworm isn't exactly that in trouble of extinction. We have worms just like it back home, and... and..."

"IT'S A WORM!" Ron chimed in with widened eyes as the group walked; turning to face Hermione who had lowered her glance to the ground she was walking on.

"How would you like it if you were stepped on Ronald?" Hermione interrogated with a sharp glance.

"I guess I'd mind a little, but if I was in the way I rightfully deserved it!" Ron smiled and patted Harry's back as the two boys enjoyed their laugh.

"Ron, you're hopeless," Hermione sighed. "You too Harry..."

"Looks like I'm rubbing off on my buddy here!" Ron chorused, putting his arm around Harry's shoulder and shaking him back and forth, causing Harry's glasses to slip down to his nose.

Harry lifted his hand and pressed his glasses back into place, looking towards Hermione who was walking as if nothing had happened between the three. "You think people will really join your cause Hermione?"

"I can see it now, on the membership cards: Flobberworms equal Unity Care and Kindness," Hermione smiled with a dreamy sigh, however Ron nearly choked on his own spit.

"You're going to abbreviate that?" He forced out in a raspy voice, pulling at his collar, unsure if laughter or a word put forth would be of any help.

"Of course I am silly. It's much too long to put on a little card," Hermione softly laughed and shrugged as she brought her hand through her bushy brown hair, returning to glancing about the shops, and at her quickened pace was now walking ahead of the two boys.

"Should somebody tell her?" Ron whispered, Harry's green eyes met his friend's and they both shared a silent smile... _Maybe later..._

A soft, low hooting came into hearing range which only could mean that Eeylops Owl Emporium was near by. And sure enough Hermione had stopped in front of the darkened shop, bending forward in her jean pants and pink, zip-up, sweater top, peering in a thin, metal cage containing a curious looking Barn owl, whom was waddling back and forth.

"I wish I could buy one, but I spent my allowed limit at the Quidditch Cup," Hermione sighed forlornly, as she poked her finger between the bars, gently stroking the brown, feathered back.

"You have a limit?" Ron questioned with a comedic quirked brow, almost in amusement as Hermione huffed and pulled herself away from the cage, hurrying away as if embarrassed.

Harry and Ron had to jog in order to keep up with Hermione's fast paced walk, passing by Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, where a small, stout, woman dressed in mauve waved cheerily at them, though they didn't have time to return the quick greeting.

Both boys however came to a sliding stop when a familiar store caught both their eyes. Slowly turning around they faced the familiar site, the Quality Quidditch Supplies.

Hermione, when she realized her two friends weren't behind her, looked over her shoulder only to roll her eyes. Of course, those two and Quidditch were like rabid fans at a soccer game. Sighing to herself she slowly back pedaled until she was in between the two, hands on her hips, as she looked to the shop with far less excitement.

"So I take it you have extra money to spend," Hermione smiled a bit, for once amused. "The both of you..." The two boys didn't respond and continued staring at the window display which was currently being changed by a wizard in a brown robe. "Well, let's get this over with," And no sooner said the boys had taken off into the shop.

The little bell atop the doorway tingled as Harry pushed it open, walking inside as warmth, as if produced by a fire though there was none in sight, welcomed him, Ron, and finally Hermione into the store. Three aisles made from the setup of wooden shelves, hid the wooden main desk on the other end. On one wall many different models of broom sticks were on display, resting on metal nooks, the earliest models on the left, the latest (and most expensive) on the far right.

"'Arry... It's like heaven..." Ron spoke in awe, and grabbing his friend by the sleeve dragged him to the center aisle. "Keeper gloves! Come on! This way!"

Harry didn't have time to respond, or even beg to differ for his friend's grasp had already yanked him away from the doorway and towards the center. "What about Hermione?"

"Tell her to go read some Quidditch books..." Ron panted impatiently, and then Hermione was out of site and hundreds of pairs of gloves surrounded them.

Each pair of gloves, and there were many of them, were sorted by color as they hung by metal hooks from the shelves. From there they were sorted by the size of one's hand, and type of material. Separating himself from Ron, he began to survey the opposite shelf, his fingers feeling down the material. He really missed Quidditch more than anything, not counting Sirius, over the summer holidays.

How he longed to be back on that field, to feel the breeze blow through his messy black hair as he flew around on his Firebolt, that was like home to him. Not the Dursley residence, which had been silent as Harry didn't even have the heart to argue that summer. Harry was sure even their cold hearts knew something was bothering him, but he also knew their personalities would not allow any emotion to be shown. How he wished someone would, towards him, anything...

"Hey Harry! Look!" Ron's excited shout broke Harry from his thoughts as he quickly turned around the face the red head, whom now had a glove stuck to the side of his face. "Gloves complete with extra sticky Quaffle grip..."

"Ron...what are you doing?" Harry asked, a smile starting to spread on his lips as he saw the object stuck to his friend's face.

"Trying out keeper gloves," Ron shrugged, his ears turning a bit pink along with his face, as he lifted his hands to the glove and began to pull. As he grunted, Ron's eyes spotted Harry staring at him, trying his best to hide his laughter at the event. "Oh shut up Harry, it could happen to anybody..."

"I don't know too many people who stick gloves to their faces testing grip Ronald," critiqued a Hermione Granger, who had reappeared in the aisle with the two boys, a few Quidditch books in her arms.

Harry had to hold back a laugh as he ran a hand through his messy, black hair, when Ron scoffed and began to pull harder at the troublesome glove. "You don't know anything about Quidditch Hermione," Ron shot back, though not very rudely, his attention was focused elsewhere at the moment. "Reading about it doesn't make you a scholar in it," he grunted as he gave the glove on his face another hard yank.

"Honestly Ron, you act like a child," Hermione said with a roll of her eyes, as she reached into her jeans pocket, pulling out her wand.

Ron's eyes caught the action of Hermione's, and in spotting the wand he quickly grabbed Harry by the shoulders without warning, and pulled him in front of himself as a human shield. Coincidentally right in front of Hermione's perfectly pointed wand stance, her arm straightly outstretched.

"Don't even think about it," Ron cautioned with widened eyes, the glove now hanging from his face. "I don't want you performing any spells on me, they could go wrong and the next day I could end up with my head double in size! Don't even think about it Hermione!" Ron stammered, Harry still in his grasp, between him and the wand.

"Ron, it won't hurt. It's a simple spell," Hermione reassured, her straightened arm slowly falling to her side.

"Yeah, is that what you're gonna say when my arm falls off or something?" Ron returned, sputtering.

Harry shook his head at his stubborn friend, taking a breath before he spoke. "Ron, have you ever known one of Hermione's spells to go wrong before?" He asked looking over his shoulder at his friend's red face.

"No, I guess not," Ron responded as his widened eyes slowly returned to normal size, and his face relaxed. Releasing his grasp on Harry who moved to Hermione's side, Ron shut his eyes tight. "Make it quick," He managed to get out, sounding like a young child receiving a painful shot.

Hermione looked to Harry with a half smile and roll of her eyes, then looking back to Ron she lifted her wand. "Realisio!" She pronounced carefully, with a swish and flick of her wand.

The glove yanked from Ron's face, who squeaked with pain as it ripped from his cheek. Stumbling back he bumped into someone who had been surveying the gloves on the other side, back to them, knocking himself to the floor. Hermione and Harry silently stared at Ron, who now sat on the floor of the shop, a red mark on his face.

"I thought you said it wasn't going to hurt," Ron commented, placing his palm on his reddened cheek.

"I supposed I lied," Hermione responded with a shrug, regaining her composure with her newly purchased books, slipping her wand back into her pocket.

"You all right there?" Questioned an unfamiliar female, American accented voice from behind Ron, belonging to the person whom he had bumped into, who had turned around.

"Yeah... fine..." Ron forced out in a muffled voice from behind his hand as he struggled to his feet with the assistance given to him by Harry. Turning around his eyes widened in shock as he saw whom he had bumped into.

The girl looking back to him with a half amused smirk had short brown hair with blonde streaks, her eyes hidden behind a pair of sunglasses. In a pair of khaki pants and a short sleeve light brown shirt that read 'If at first you don't succeed, it's because of me.'

"B...Bloody hell... it's you..." Ron forced out, to Harry's confusion, as he gawked at the girl.

"I guess it all depends on who I'm supposed to be," the girl returned with a friendly smile and nod, bringing her right hand up to remove her sunglasses and place them into her khaki pants pocket. "Sorry I bumped into you," she apologized with sincere brown eyes.

"You're Leah Evans, you can bump into me ANYTIME YOU WANT," Ron spoke in awe and slowly nodded, as the girl still smiled at him. Harry looked over towards Hermione to see she was staring wide eyed as well, same look as Ron except subdued, hidden behind Harry.

"Leah Evans? The Quidditch star?" Harry spoke with widened eyes, suddenly realizing the importance of the situation.

"Well, my name is Leah, if that's what you mean," Leah returned with a nod, her cheeks turning a bit pink in color.

"I'm you're biggest fan," Ron gushed, Harry noticed Hermione shoot a glare towards him, then look away.

"Well, thanks there um...? What's your name?" Leah asked as she slowly set the pair of gloves that had been in her hands back on the shelf.

"Ronald, Ronald Weasley!" Ron blurted out once more, receiving yet another glare from Hermione.

"Oh! Is your dad's name Arthur?" Leah questioned with a wide smile, stepping towards the three friends, hands in her pockets.

"Yeah, that's him... you know him?" Ron blinked with confusion, had his father actually met a famous Quidditch star, and if so, where was he?!

"Know him? He only discovered me about what... 6 years ago?" She seemed to think on it a moment, and then looking over her shoulder called out: "Hey? Six years right Silvestri?"

Just then, yet another person appeared behind Leah, a pack slung across his shoulder. He was about a foot taller than her, with black hair spiked in the front. Even without the dirt Harry had seen on the freeze frame he could tell this was Justin Silvestri, the captain of the American team. Harry quickly looked over towards Ron, whom looked as though he was about to die of shock.

"Yeah, about six..." Justin agreed with a nod, though his glance seemed preoccupied as he studied a pack containing a snitch in his hand, examining it with the closeness of a scientist. Glancing away from it, he looked to Ron with a slightly furrowed brow. "Red hair... freckles..." He noted to himself, but loud enough for everyone else to hear. "You're a Weasley," his serious face turned to a friendly, almost charming, grin. "Your father is a favorite back in the states, though sometimes he treats us like rabbits, since we're all muggles," Justin smiled at the thought as he stood by Leah's side, whom nodded with the same smile in agreement. "And who's the other?" Justin questioned Leah, nodding towards Harry.

"Harry, Harry Potter," Harry introduced himself, sticking out his hand quickly for a hand shake; however, the two Americans froze and just stared.

"Harry Potter?" Justin repeated slowly, biting down on his lower lip, conveying suspiciousness as Harry nodded in response.

Harry brought his hand to his messy black hair, wiping a few wisps of hair away from his forehead to reveal the scar, in an attempt to prove himself. The two continued to eye him suspiciously when he took a chance and spoke up again, as Ron seemed lost for words and Hermione hadn't spoken at all.

"Yes, I'm Harry Potter, and behind me is my other friend Hermione Granger," Harry added a bit shakily, Hermione could only give a glance in response to the two.

"Students at Hogwarts?" Justin questioned, Harry noted that it was very odd the two didn't question him endlessly about his scar, in fact, they seemed to be able to care less.

"Yes, finishing up some last minute pick ups before the school year," Hermione quickly filled in, finally stepping to the side of her two friends defensively.

"Yeah we went to the American wizarding school Dogwarts," Leah nodded as Justin glanced towards his watch, most likely hurrying on his teammate, whom nodded in response and began to follow in his quick footsteps. "Gotta be going, we have a meeting at the local pub..." She told the three, already hurrying to keep up with Justin.

"You graduated?!" Harry questioned with a shout after the two famous Quidditch stars.

Justin opened the Quidditch shop door that tinkled upon contact and he walked out. Leah held the door open and slowly looked over her shoulder with a half smirk.

"Nope..." Was all she said, and she turned around and left, leaving Ron with a vision of Quidditch heaven.


End file.
